The council door burst open just as she reached for it. Vincent let out a breath, “We have another problem,” he said.
Ava felt her shoulders sink. “Again? Seriously?” “What is it?” she asked.
“Blake Sanders,” He said, stepping back so she could enter the room.
“Blake!?!” Ava sat down, “But, he’s dead isn’t he?” she felt the guilt grab her again. She couldn’t help but wonder if he would still be alive if it were not for the curse. He had chosen to turn the gun on her and that had sealed his fate. She was Alec’s to protect, and protect her he had. She shook the image of Blake’s open, lifeless, eyes away, “What are you talking about?”
Vincent sighed, “Do you remember the picture we found on the ship?”
Ava nodded, feeling extremely ill. Her stomach lurched; she gripped her waist and swallowed the sickness down.
“It turns out that the picture was ripped from a book that contains other drawings. Drawings of you and of the island. It’s a diary.”
“A diary?”
“Yes,” Vincent paused, “Ann Marie’s diary.”
Chills shot up Ava’s spine. “Where is it? Do we have it?”
“Alec is assembling a team to go and retrieve it now. It’s on its way to a museum. Someone that Bianca knew from her past in The Waevern told her that Blake Sanders was setting up a deal to sell it to a museum and have its history studied. He found it on the ship.”
Ava shook, “So that’s what he found down there.”
“Yes,” Vincent said, “I don’t know what we will find in that diary, but I assume it will be quite interesting.” He looked up, meeting Ava’s eyes, “Also, Lareina is awake.”
“She is?” Ava jumped to her feet immediately.
“Yes,” Vincent shook his head, “but I have to ask that you please take a group of guards in with you and that you take precautions before entering her cell.”
“I will,” Ava said, exiting the room. She shut the door and bumped right into Alec.
“I was just coming to find you,” he said, catching her arm. “I assume you know about the diary?”
“Yeah, Vincent just told me.” Ava looked up, “Lareina’s awake.”
“She is?”
“Yeah.” Ava shifted uncomfortably, “I want to talk to her. Can you send a few guards to escort us down there?”
“Us?”
“Yeah, Lyssa and me.”
“Oh, of course.”
An hour later they stood in Lareina’s cell. The once powerful woman looked like a shell of her former self. She had bruises all over her and dark circles ringed her eyes. She stared at Ava and Lyssa and shook her head. “I never wanted you to know all of this, Lyssa.”
“It’s my right to know,” Lyssa said firmly. “You gave me away when I was only a baby. You used me to get to Ava. You used me to try and expose the island. I deserve to at least know my history. You can start by telling us whether or not we’re sisters.”
Lareina sighed and raked her fingers through her dark hair, “I don’t know for sure, but your father believed that Ava was his. When I found those pictures, there were new ones, too; pictures of a baby with red hair. By that point I was just a few weeks pregnant with you. I had just found all this out. I knew he was different. I just didn’t know it was something so horrible. Right after I found everything out and confronted him, I found out about the curse. It all made sense then.” Lareina glared up at Ava, “If only I had known then what I know now, I would have tracked you down and killed you. I still can’t believe that you, that red haired baby who ruined my life, have turned out to be the next True Elementris.” She shook her head “It’s funny how life works out…or doesn’t.”
“Is that why you decided to give me away?”
“No. Well, in a way. It was hard to look at you; you made me think of the man your father used to be. I had always planned to accept my magic and go after the throne. I finally had everything I wanted. Your father and I were in love. I was the True Elementris. I guess at some point during the time that I took over as queen, he met Joyce. She stayed on the island for a little over a month after I took over. I pretended to be nice to her. She was such a broken and pathetic girl. I never saw her as a risk. When I found out why Samuel had been making so many trips to the mainland, I thought I would fall apart. I hid my pregnancy and sent you to live with the Relics. I never meant to get pregnant anyway. All I wanted from the time I found out what I was, was to become the True Elementris.”
“Did the Relics know who you really were, what I really was?”
“No, they couldn’t know. I didn’t want anyone to know about you.”
“What about Dana?”
“Dana works for me. Draken helped me arrange for her to meet Mr. Relic.”
Lyssa was sickened, “Are you sorry at all?”
“I have regrets. Sending you to live with the Relics is not one of them.”
“Did you have anything to do with my mother’s death, that storm, her wreck? No, I don’t even want to know. I hope you rot in here!” Lyssa said, turning away.
“Don’t be so weak, Lyssa. You’re almost grown, and she was not your mother!”
“Leave her alone!” Ava said, stepping closer. “You have hurt so many people. You deserve to rot in here, Lareina.”
“Just sentence me to death.”
Ava smiled, “I will not end your suffering. You will spend all of your days here. You will finally know what it’s like.”
“I had to do what I did. You’ll see. You’ll find out. Trust me.”
“Unlock the door,” Ava said, turning towards it.
“When the truth of all this comes out, you too will be forced to do the unthinkable. It’s not all fun and wonderful, my dear.”
Ava ignored her.
“This isn’t over! The man after you won’t be stopped!”
There was pathetic desperation in Lareina’s voice. Ava couldn’t help but find a small bit of satisfaction in that.
Lyssa and Ava walked slowly back to the castle. The guards had left them now. Lyssa looked away from her as they walked. The shake in her hands revealed the pain she was hiding.
“Are you okay?”
Lyssa looked away, her eyes watery, “Yeah, I just hate her.”
“I guess that’s another thing we have in common.” Ava smiled.
“What?” Lyssa asked as she wiped her eyes.
“Our mothers. They are both evil, just in different ways.”
“I think I have you beat on evil mothers.”
“Yeah,” Ava smiled, “you definitely do. My Aunt Avalene once told me something that helped me.”
“What’s that?”
“Your parents don’t define you. Your actions and choices do.”
Lyssa nodded, “Your Aunt Avalene is right. I am nothing like that woman. I hate her, Ava.”
“I know,” Ava nodded. “Don’t worry. She can’t hurt you or anyone else anymore. I will never let her out of there.”
“Good.” Lyssa looked towards the square ahead of them. “Wow, look.”
“It’s beautiful.” Ava stared at the stage they were setting up. Beautiful swaths of orange and red material hung from the castle. Flowers were everywhere. Brea was standing on the stage sending Greens every which way. She waved at them with a smile, “Ava! Look, look, look!” she said in a singsong voice, “It’s looking great, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it’s beautiful.” Ava breathed in the beauty and the wonderful smells.
Brea slipped her arm around Ava. “Happy Birthday, best friend.”
“Thanks.”
“So, what’s the verdict?” Brea said, looking between Ava and Lyssa “Are ya’ll sisters?”
Ava nodded, “Yeah, we think so.”
“Does that mean you’re going to stay on the island?” Brea asked Lyssa.
“Yeah.” Lyssa smiled, “I’m going to show them boys a thing or two.” She lifted her hand, wiping imaginary crumbs from her shoulder, “Lyssa Relic,
bad-ass Clutch guard sounds pretty good to me.”
“There you are,” Alec said, coming up behind them. He took Ava’s hand and tugged her away, “Happy Birthday.”
“Thanks,” she looked up into his eyes “Did they get the book?”
“They are on their way, should be back tonight. Speaking of, shouldn’t you be getting ready? I saw Nisca inside. She was looking for you.”
“Okay.” Ava pulled back from him, “I better go find her and start getting dressed.” She turned to Brea and Lyssa, “See you tonight.”
“I’ll come up in a little bit.” Brea said.
Chapter Fifteen…Forever
…Ava…
Ava walked into the castle. She took a deep breath. Closing her eyes for an instant she could feel it. She could feel the summer heat spreading through the air. She could sense it warming the ocean and as she opened her eyes she felt a sense of ease. The summer moon tonight would be the end of so many things and the beginning of so much more.
Bright moonlight lit the island and all that inhabited it. Soft music floated through the air. A large crowd swayed and danced with it. Laughter mixed in with the music and the power of the Elements vibrated freely in the air. Fire flew from a festival visitor’s hands in the center of the crowd as he and two others moved and tumbled in a warrior-like dance. Wonderful smells teased Ava’s nose as she stepped onto the stage. She smiled at Brea when she saw her coming up the stairs.
Ava sensed something in Brea’s eyes, something off. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Brea said, but she was frowning.
“Brea! I know you too well. Something’s wrong,” Ava said. “Out with it!”
Brea looked down and then said, “Do you remember when we were talking about my roommate and her boyfriend?”
“Yeah,” Ava felt a knot begin to form in her stomach.
“You remember when I asked if you would want to know?”
Ava shook her head, feeling warm tears form in her eyes, “Alec?” She could barely breathe his name as the knot in her stomach seemed to climb up her throat and lodge there in a hard ball.
Brea nodded, took her hand, and squeezed it tight. “I saw them, Alec and Bianca.” She shook her head, “They were whispering and then they snuck off.”
“Where did they go?”
“Towards Mount Ella.”
Ava ran. No thoughts, no decisions, just pure adrenalin and pain.
…Lyssa…
The trees were lit with eyes. Birds dove in the air and a deep purr came from the edge of the woods. “Is that you?”
“Yes-mm,” he smiled, “Me and the others with spirit.”
“It’s amazing how they can feel you.” She looked towards the darkening sky, watching a group of birds dive in the warm ocean breeze. Thomas spun her around in a circle. Her heart felt as though it would float right out of her chest. He tipped her back and his dark eyes dug into hers with such intensity that she felt her breath catch in her throat. “This is amazing.”
Thomas pulled her up and back to him. “I reckon it is.”
Lyssa slid her hands up and around his neck, “I think I’m in love with you, Thomas.”
“You do?” He shook his head, a sly smile pulling his mouth to one side, “Thank ya.”
She slapped his chest playfully.
He laughed and spun her again. “You got my heart, girl.” He pulled her against him and kissed her.
Behind them the music, animals, and magic of the festival lit the night with a raw and powerful buzz. Lyssa’s skin prickled as they parted and then took each other again.
…Ava…
By the time Ava reached the entrance to the cave, she could barely breathe and she was shaking so badly that even her legs wobbled as she ducked into the narrow entrance. She could hear their voices inside. She couldn’t make out the words, but she could hear them. Talking, laughing. Her knees felt as though they would give out before she could get to them.
She was seeing red by the time she came around the last bend of the cave and saw them huddled together.
Bianca looked wide-eyed at her, “Ava?”
Alec put his hand quickly behind his back and stepped forward.
Ava couldn’t breathe. She shook her head, the tears cascading freely down her cheeks. The ground shook beneath her in response to her pain. The fire in the cave danced angrily back and forth.
Bianca flinched back from the torch closest to her and looked at Ava.
“Ava,” Alec said, approaching her slowly, “I was…”
“How could you?” she shouted, the wind swirled around her and thunder rumbled in the distance. “After everything, Alec…” She shook her head, digging deep to catch a painful breath. “How could you?”
“How could I what?” Alec asked, “What are you… I was just about to come get you. Now you’ve seen my secret.”
Ava couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“Bianca worked so hard on the decorations.”
“Decorations? Ava looked around, noticing for the first time the red rose petals scattered on the floor. There were also candles, not yet lit, placed in the middle of piles of more roses. “What is this?” she looked back at Alec.
Alec took a step towards her and dropped to one knee.
Ava shook her head, “What’s going, oh…”
His green eyes sparkled in the firelight as his hand swooped from behind his back. In it he held a small red box. He flipped the lid open and revealed a beautiful white-gold band with an almost crystal-like pearl in the center. “I had it all written out. I’ve been practicing for weeks, but now, seeing you here, something rehearsed just doesn’t feel right. Nothing between us has been planned. We were born for each other. I never wanted to love you, Ava. I never wanted to even meet you. I was too afraid that I wouldn’t be able to resist you if I did see you. I thought the bond would trap me, but what I never expected was to want to love you. I could resist the bond, Ava. I could fight my feelings, but I can’t be without you. I don’t want to be without you. Ava Vangeretta, will you marry me?”
Stunned, Ava stared down at him. Her emotions were going crazy again, but in a completely different way this time. The blinding pain and hurt anger was gone and in its place was absolute joy and happiness. “Yes,” she breathed slowly, “Yes!”
Alec slipped the ring on her finger and pulled her into his arms. He spun her in a circle and kissed her so passionately that tears of joy raced down her cheeks as his lips moved over hers. His strong arms cradled her. Ava was soaring with pure happiness.
When Ava finally opened her eyes and looked around, Bianca was gone. The firelight danced on the cave walls and the red and white rose petals floated around the room in the gentle wind that swirled around them. Alec stepped back from her and took her hand, he squeezed it gently, “I never imagined I would be standing here, but I am glad that I am. I love you, Ava.”
“I love you too, Alec.”
She paused, tilting her head, “Did Brea know about all of this?”
He laughed, “Are you kidding? Brea can’t keep a secret from you. I had to keep it from her as much as you.”
He suddenly lifted her off of her feet, “It’s almost time,” he said.
“Time for what?” she said with a lighthearted laugh.
“The full moon and your birthday celebration,” he exclaimed.
……
Just as the moon reached its peak Ava stepped to the podium and cleared her throat. She glanced down at the beautiful ring on her left hand. Her heart danced and she felt a happiness she had not thought was possible. Alec stepped to her side and took her hand in his. Ava smiled at him and turned back to the crowd. She parted her lips to speak and then thunder rumbled across the night sky. Lightning flashed and Ava felt dizzy. She stumbled back, bumping into Alec. Everything went black. Alec caught her in his arms as she fell.
She woke alone in her bed. The faint sound of music wafted up to her windows. She cleared her throat trying to rem
ember how she had gotten upstairs to her bed. The door opened and Alec stepped inside. He looked a little pale, “You’re awake.”
“Yeah, what um…, what happened to me?”
“You fainted.” He sat on the edge of the bed and brushed the hair back from her cheek.
“I’ve been really dizzy lately. I guess it’s everything that’s been going on.”
He smiled and shook his head slowly, “No. Well, yes it is.”
“What are you talking about, Alec? What’s wrong with me?”
He reached over, softly rested his hand on her stomach, and said, “You’re pregnant, Ava.”
Coming Soon:
Eruption
Book three in TheVangeretta Curse Series
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~Christina Mobley~
CHRISTINA MOBLEY
Christina Mobley is a married, mother of four, who spends her days caring for her children and their family home. She grew up in Florida, living on the banks of the St. Mary’s river, and as a child always had a fascination for storms and the power they wield. The Vangeretta Curse series was inspired by that fascination.
~Eruption~
The Vangeretta Curse
Christina Mobley
Sale of this book without a front cover may be unauthorized. If this book is coverless, it may have been reported to the publisher as “unsold or destroyed” and neither the author nor the publisher may have received payment for it.
Copyright ©2014 by Christina Mobley
All rights reserved
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.
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